One of the biggest surprises of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure’s latest arc, The JOJOLands, was the appearance of the franchise’s most popular manga artist. Kishibe Rohan was first introduced as a part of Diamond Is Unbreakable but would go on to receive his own spin-off series in Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan. Appearing in the story of Jodio and Dragona made many turn their heads in shock, as the alternate reality aspect of the franchise post the Stone Ocean conclusion had many wondering where Rohan added into this anime multiverse. In a surprise reveal, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure has dug into the Kishibe Rohan of The JOJOLands.
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In the latest issue of JoJo Magazine Summer 2025, the franchise revealed that the Rohan of the JOJOLands was in fact an alternate reality version of the mangaka we came to know in Morioh. Specifically, the publication stated the following, “In this special feature, the Rohan Kishibe who appears in Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan is interpreted as a parallel world counterpart to the one in JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure, though his personality, Stand abilities, and other traits are considered identical.” With the Stone Ocean finale opening a new universe for the Joestars, Rohan might be the only character that was able to jump universes while remaining relatively unchanged.
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A Rohan By Any Other Name
The anime manga artist has some major entries about to release this summer, proving once again how big Kishibe Rohan has become both within the world of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure and outside of it. On May 23rd this year, a new live-action Rohan movie, Thus Spoke Kishibe Rohan: At a Confessional, is arriving in Japanese theaters. The short story is a wild one for Rohan, especially considering the fact that he is hardly featured as its protagonist, instead, the artist merely is told a haunting story from inside of a chapel. As of the writing of this article, it has yet to be revealed if this film will make its way to North America.
Alongside the live-action movie, Rohan will also be making a comeback in a new spin-off novel dubbed “Synchronicity in Morioh.” Releasing in the same publication that spilled the beans on Kishibe’s multiverse status, the story is described with a single line reading, “‘I can handle house-sitting’ but then, a mystery comes knocking at Rohan’s door.” One of the strongest aspects of Rohan’s side stories is that the mangaka will tackle far more supernatural challenges versus enemy Stands, throwing some major curveballs at the Joestar supporting character.
The Steel Ball Run Is Coming
While Rohan has plenty on his plate this summer, fans hoping to see him make an appearance in the next anime chapter might be in for a rude awakening. The Steel Ball Run was confirmed to be in production for its anime adaptation earlier this year, though should it follow the source material, Kishibe Rohan won’t be popping up in the anime horse race. Still, considering the love that JoJo creator Hirohiko Araki has for the side character, don’t expect Kishibe Rohan to go anywhere anytime soon.
Want to see what the future holds for Rohan? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on all things JoJo and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.
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The main cast of The Wandering Earth (2019)
